Earth Day 2010
April 23rd marked the coming and going of another Earth Day here at St. Joe’s, and, thanks to the efforts of many, the day was nothing less than an unqualified success.
Under the overall supervision of Jeff Halk, the students and staff of SJCHS hit the dirt on Thursday, both figuratively and literally, in an effort to show solidarity with the Earth Day movement that was manifesting itself across Canada and around the world.
Students from a variety of period 1 classes were issued protective gear and given responsibility to go where, obviously, many had gone before. And once there, to pick up the garbage and general refuse that was left behind by those who trouble themselves little about the environmental health of the community they call home.
Later in the day, during an afternoon assembly, students were addressed by SJCHS alumni Taylor Popkie, who spends much of his time these days working towards accreditation in the field of forestry at Algonquin College. Taylor, along with his program leader, distributed a seedling to every student in attendance, and it’s hoped that each and every one of those seedlings find fertile ground, a tangible act on the part of those attending to further the environmental cause .
The assembly ended in an environmental fashion show, a brilliant idea and novel way to raise awareness. A parade of students walked the catwalk, each wearing garments festooned with the kind of everyday things and packaging that often finds its way into the heres and theres of a community, discarded by folks either too busy or too ambivalent to understand or care about the cumulative effects of their litter.
Taken as a whole, the effort accomplished all it set out to do, and then some. The greatest challenge, however, is for all of us to remember and carry out what was so obviously important to us today, this day of environmental awareness. To care, and to care enough to do something about it.
Thanks to Mr. Halk and his environment people throughout the school, we’re several steps closer to making that a reality.